New Product Development: When Discrete Simulation is Preferable to System Dynamics

Disclosed are adhesive compositions which are solid but spreadable to form a coating on substrates. Solutions of the adhesive composition are formed into a gel in a useful form such as a stick. The adhesive composition comprises dibenzal sorbitol gelling agent and polyesters derived from components (A), (B) and (C) as follows: (A) at least one dicarboxylic acid, (B) at least one diol, at least 20 mole percent of the diol component being a poly(ethylene)glycol having the formula H-OCH2CH2)nOH wherein n is an integer of from 2 to about 14, and (C) at least one difunctional dicarboxylic acid sulfomonomer containing a -SO3M group attached to an aromatic nucleus, wherein M is Na+, Li+, K+ or a combination thereof, the sulfomonomer component constituting at least about 8 mole percent to about 45 mole percent of the sum of the moles of said components (A) and (C).